State House passes budget without sales-tax increase

"Rejecting a sales-tax hike to help balance the budget, the state House has endorsed a $790 million tax package that focuses on closing tax exemptions and collecting more money from service businesses.

The new House tax plan, approved on a 53-42 vote Saturday, is the latest revenue offer to pass between Olympia's majority Democrats as they seek to bridge a $2.8 billion state budget deficit."